A production process and a catalyst are provided, which can be less decreased in activity of the catalyst even when CO.sub.2, water and the like are present in the starting material and/or the reaction system, and which can produce a formic ester or a methanol at a low temperature and a low pressure.The present invention relates to a process for producing methanol, comprising reacting carbon monoxide with an alcohol in the presence of an alkali metal-type catalyst, and/or an alkaline earth metal-type catalyst to produce a formic ester, wherein a hydrogenolysis catalyst of formic ester and hydrogen are allowed to be present together in the reaction system to hydrogenate the produced formic ester and thereby obtain a methanol.